Marine Corps Gen. John F. Kelly, Southcom commander, and Rebecca B. Chavez, deputy assistant secretary of defense for Western Hemisphere affairs, were among U.S. defense leaders participating in the ministerial gathering.

Dr. Frank Mora, Director of the Latin American and Caribbean Center at Florida International University, moderated the dialogue among the region’s top defense leaders.

Colombian Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon and other Colombian defense leaders shared lessons learned during Plan Colombia and follow-on programs implemented by their country over the past 14 years. During that period, Colombia has strengthened government institutions, improved citizen security, reduced illicit drug cultivation and production, and established an ongoing dialogue for peace with the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces, known by its Spanish acronym, FARC.

U.S. Colombia Action Plan

In 2012, President Barack Obama and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos announced the U.S.-Colombia Action Plan on Regional Security Cooperation. Since then, Colombia has increasingly shared its expertise to assist countries from Central America and other regions threatened by violence associated with transnational organized crime.

It has trained thousands of police and justice officials and provided additional assistance in areas such as interdictions, asset forfeiture, investigations and polygraphs.

This fiscal year, the action plan includes more than 150 planned capacity-building activities with six countries from Central America and the Caribbean.

The delegations from Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama and the United States also discussed ongoing and emerging security challenges in Central America, as well as the development of a regional approach to address threats impacting countries in the region during today’s meeting.

Significant increase in violence

Transnational criminal networks and organizations operating in the region have contributed to a significant increase in violence over the past several years, most notably in an area known as the “Northern Triangle,” which includes Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.

Since 2008, the United States has provided more than $642 million in assistance to the region as part of the Central American Regional Security Initiative, or CARSI, to assist law enforcement and security forces, strengthen regional law enforcement and justice-sector capabilities, and advance community crime prevention and social development programs.

As part of its support to CARSI goals, U.S. military assistance to the region has mainly consisted of infrastructure projects, equipment donations, training, and assessments aimed at helping defense and security institutions improve border security, maritime security, aerial security, interagency and joint operations, information sharing, riverine patrols, human rights training and doctrine, communications, maintenance, and logistics.